Deadly JE claims 123 lives in UP

Gorakhpur, Sep 7 (UNI) The vector-borne killer Japanese Encephalitis (JE) toll in East Uttar Pradesh today mounted to a staggering figure of 123, following the death of three more children today.

The scourage has killed several thousands people in the region over the last decade.

This year so far, 764 JE patients had come to the Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Gorakhpur district hospital, of which 123, including nine from Bihar, succumbed, sources said.

In the last 24 hrs, 31 new cases had come to light, while 166 JE patients were still in remmission.

JE patients mostly trickle from Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Sant Kabirnagar, Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Azamgarh, Gonda, Bahraich, Mau, Ballia and Balrampur districts of UP.

Gorakhpur has the dubious distinction of being the JE epicentre in the region.

The endemic afflicts eastern UP during monsoon every year and continues to take people under its jaws till the onset of winters.

UNI